Yes, spread the lime on the dry pond bottom.
Take a soil sample if you have the time to wait on it and get a recommendation based on the soil acidity and buffer. If you are pressed for time and need to get it applied asap I personally would go with 4 ton per acre or more.
If your rip rap is crushed limestone it will take care of the portion of the pond basin that this stone is covering. Because that stone is what that portion of the water will mostly be in contact with.
If you have an area of inflow where you are afraid a lot of water entering the pond will cause erosion till the pond gets full you might consider dumping and spreading out a pile of lime in this area. Then the erosion is lime into the pond rather than soil.
If you are in an area that has naturally high pH soils (some areas of Kansas do) you may not need lime at all. If you are in an acidic area like I am, it is hard to overdo the lime application.
Last edited by snrub; 09/09/17 10:55 PM.
